Fate Lost Origin
by Type-Midgard
Summary: Thirty years after the events of the Fifth Holy Grail War, darkness looms over mankind from the shadows, biding it's time. One day it will threaten to swallow the world, but that day is not today. This is the story of how a single girl begins to shape the future of all mankind. Tohsaka Toshimi steps onto the stage as she prepares to face the greatest threats ever known, and more.


If you are reading this, be sure to check out Fate Generations! It is the future of this story, literally, and serves as a benchmark for what to expect from the rest of this fic series. Link: s/12849101/1/Fate-Generations

Some spoilers are shown within Generations, but nothing that will not be covered in the opening chapters of Lost Origin, and nothing that has major relevance to Lost Origin's main story.

Generations is the crossroads of the Fate Worlds, Tsukihime Worlds, and my own unique World. I highly encourage you to read it for a complete understanding of certain events that will occur in Lost Origin.

Now on to the story!

* * *

A young girl with long black hair and dressed in flashy red pajamas sat at a desk within a dark room with no windows, dimly lit by softly glowing jewels of assorted colors that seemed to be lying about in random locations. Every surface had something on it. The magically lit room was a small workshop, journals and other coded texts and documents lay strewn about alongside the gems, and one could begin to see the method to the madness. Each jewel was a different research subject, tasks in her magical training that were given to her by her mother Tohsaka Rin, who had risen to become one of the biggest names in the Mages Association.

And yet, none of these jewels had the young Toshimi's attention. The desk at which the apprentice mage sat was cluttered by magical tools, but all had been brushed aside to make room for a simple butter knife and an open magical text. The young mage looked from the knife to the book with intense focus, using a basic magecraft to analyze the structure of the flatware as per the directions. She could see every material composing the stainless-steel blade, and her recent study had told her that the four steps of Projection Magecraft could reproduce something that looked and felt the same, even acted the same- yet, with one look 'inside', could be immediately identified as a fake due to the limited processes of the magecraft. It was a more complex and often useless version of Reinforcement, considered impractical for all use but ritual, and inefficient even compared to physically constructing the required item from raw materials.

Taking a deep breath and focusing on the steps that flowed from her subconscious, Toshimi turned one hand upward and began to speak softly the words that pushed themselves to the tip of her tongue.

"Trace On."

An image of the steel knife entered her mind, lingering in the background.

"Judging the concept of creation."

Images flashed through Toshimi's mind, each a vivid depiction of a disembodied force cutting, slicing, and carving.

"Hypothesizing the basic structure."

Each material composing the knife listed off inside her head down to the percent. 63.995% Iron, 18% Chromium, 10% Nickel, 5% Molybdenum, 2% Magnesium, 0.75% Silicon, 0.1% Nitrogen, 0.08% Carbon, 0.045% Phosphorus, 0.03% Sulfur.

"Duplicating the composition material."

All the materials she identified began to take form in her mind, each element waiting to be combined.

"Imitating the skill of its making."

Knowledge of ancient and modern metallurgy poured into the spell as it was woven and began to morph the compound of elements gathered in her mind into something that began to resemble the finished product, and a vague three-dimensional magical blueprint of the knife hovered over Toshimi's open hand wrapped in a soft light.

"Sympathizing with the experience of its growth."

Toshimi knew that this knife was more than just that single knife. Cutlery had gone through many stages of development to become what it was in the modern era- sanitary, efficient, and resistant to the erosions of time. The concept of a kitchen knife had come far over the centuries, from the crude tools that were originally created thousands of years ago.

"Reproducing the accumulated years."

The history of knives seemed to pour into the magical outline, and the almost ethereal form finally began to solidify in Toshimi's small hand. Even the short life of this particular knife went into the projection, every instance it was used to spread, cut, or perhaps even saw during the course of daily meals or otherwise, and each time it was set aside or washed. Toshimi nearly laughed at the realization that she had gone through so much effort to replicate a simple knife. With a quivering smile, she focused on the final step recorded deep within her mind.

"Excelling every manufacturing process."

The combined raw materials experienced being forged by flame into steel, the addition of each element in sequence until being assembled, cut, pressed, sharpened and polished into the form laying before her on the desk. In Toshimi's hand now lay a nearly perfect replica of the model that showed no signs of magical degradation due to an inconsistency with reality, something that the book in front of her told her should be impossible.

A slow knock at the door to her workshop startled Toshimi out of her experiment, and she nearly panicked before covering the kitchen knives in coded papers and swiftly approaching and opening the door. On the other side was her Father, Emiya Shirou, a tall man with dark skin, golden brown eyes, and snow-white hair. He was wearing a crimson dress-shirt under a black and silver vest with black dress-pants, and smiled as he saw his daughter's surprised jolt and panicking stare.

"Happy Birthday, Toshimi. I expected you to be asleep so early in the morning."

First of all, Toshimi came to the realization that the last four hours had gone solely to researching and experimenting with projecting basic cutlery- when she started, it most certainly was not a morning of any kind. She expected it to have been an hour at most, but her curiosity blinded her to the passage of time, and her Father, who was supposed to arrive in the middle of the night and surprise Toshimi when she woke, stood before her seemingly fresh off the plane from Rome at 2am.

"F-Father!"

Suddenly, Toshimi had forgotten her potential magical discovery in favor of tightly clinging to her father's waist, hugging him half to death. It had been months since the last time she'd seen him, when he left London on a string of missions across Asia and Europe, hunting down dangerous existences like Dead Apostles and rogue Magi. Most nine-year-old children were not privy to the details, and she expected no more now that she was ten. What she did know was that Emiya Shirou was much like his own father Kiritsugu, and offered his abilities as something like a freelance Enforcer. His job was rough, but he served the reformed Mages Association in a manner fitting of a 'superhero'.

Shirou smiled and took a look around Toshimi's workshop. Everything looked normal, but Shirou felt a familiar energy lingering in the air like smoke. There was certainly a time when Emiya Shirou wasn't so sensitive to magecraft, but no trace of that inexperience remained in the comparatively advanced magus. "So, what kept you up so late before your big day? Did you figure something out?"

Instantly Toshimi's body froze up and her lips pressed tightly together, slowly stepping back from Shirou. If there was one thing Toshimi was terrible it, it was keeping secrets from her parents and especially her father. "N-Nothing particularly special... I just... think I might have 'found' a more efficient way to use Projection Magecraft. The book said it was impossible, but I-"

Shirou swiftly knelt down to place a firm hand on Toshimi's shoulder, ever smiling. "There's no need to panic, Toshimi. Let's sit down." Standing back up and offering a hand to his daughter that was hesitantly taken, Shirou began to lead her but she then tugged him toward the desk, where her projected knife still lay underneath various papers. Shirou pulled up a chair beside Toshimi and sat down, long since aware of what she had discovered. He waited patiently for Toshimi to sweep aside the papers and hold out the projected knife.

"This one here... I traced it. It's not completely perfect, but it's far superior to anything this book says can exist, and-"

"Trace On."

Toshimi's eyes went wide as Kanshou and Bakuya appeared in her father's hands with a swift flash of energy, analyzing the projected weapons on pure instinct. Put simply, it was beyond anything her mind could understand. And then it wasn't. "Father, this is incredible! I never knew you could do... something like this." Toshimi scrunched her brows in thought and let her eyes wander as she came to a realization.

"This book shouldn't be wrong, which makes what we do technically impossible..." For a moment, the young girl's eyes began to quiver in fear. "Are we- no, we aren't Sorcerers. Even that wouldn't need to be this secret, nor would I be able to do it so easily."

Shirou chuckled, a bit to Toshimi's surprise, and he retained a calm tone when he spoke. "You're as smart as ever... Definitely your mother's daughter. You're exactly right. What we are capable of is something called a Reality Marble, which is close to True Magic but not quite there. And from that look in your eye, you know the consequences of this being found out..." Kanshou and Bakuya faded away in a glimmer of light.

Nodding stiffly, Toshimi almost whispered the answer and stared at the floor. "_Sealing Designation_. We'd be hunted..."

Shirou laid a hand on her shoulder that seemed to help her relax and look up at her Father. "Don't worry. I've kept the secret for thirty years right under the Association's nose. I trust that you can do the same. Still, now that you have stumbled upon this... I must speak with your mother. We had originally planned to tell you after she finished transferring her Magic Crest to you."

Uncertainty briefly flashed through Toshimi's eyes at the mention of her mother, but she managed a weak smile and a nod. "I should get some sleep." Her young, even if talented mind, was still trying to wrap around the idea of what she and her father could do. Her lack of sleep would likely end up making such complicated thoughts unravel before long.

"That's a good idea. Come morning, everything will be settled. Probably..." Shirou smiled and ruffled his distracted daughter's hair before standing and leaving Toshimi at the desk blushing. He turned to give her one last smile and closed the door behind him. "Sleep well."

Toshimi took a slow breath as the door closed, before heading into her bedroom through a door and a long hall in the back of her workshop, or the front depending on which side of the house you entered from, and swiftly flinging herself upon her bed once she reached it. She thought back over all of the new information she'd gained in the last few minutes from the dark solitude underneath her blanket. Her father passed on a Near-Magic Reality Marble capable of creating almost perfect replicas of many different tools, from magical to mundane. Using this ability, her father had also shown himself capable of projecting weapons straight out of ancient legends without so much as breaking a sweat.

Toshimi suddenly remembered hearing a conversation between her parents, who knows how many years ago. Her mother had chided him for falling into an old habit from before he won the 'Holy Grail War', joking that 'Saber' was 'glaring at him from heaven' due to his actions, and somehow the conversation turned towards her father 'defeating Gilgamesh'. Toshimi didn't understand a wink of what was said at the time other than to know that Gilgamesh was an ancient demi-god and powerful King from a forgotten Age, thinking it some sort of joke. But now, she realized, it just might have had some truth to it... Toshimi's mind drifted into darkness, transfixed on the Image of Kanshou and Bakuya to the very end.

#

Fire. The sky and earth bathed in it, and plumes of smoke rose to the flame-lit heavens to block out the light of the sun. Ash fell upon the smoldering earth around bubbling chasms of lava, spreading far and wide across the green wilderness. The great mountain of fire erupted once more as if shooting for the sky, bright balls of liquid flame spreading out before raining back to the earth below.

Toshimi was dreaming, watching from far away as a powerful volcano erupted on an island settled beneath a great earthen boot. Italy, she knew instantly upon sight. So the flame-wreathed island could only be Sicily, home to Mount Etna. As the eruption calmed down, Toshimi's perspective zoomed in on the volcano and dove deep inside. She was surrounded by magma on all sides, but she did not burn. She felt no pain, only a soothing, radiant warmth. Toshimi saw a pillar of stone built into the depths of the raging volcano, and then she woke.

#

Toshimi's parents were already awake and the table was set for breakfast by 7am, a rare scene only in the presence of her mother so early in the morning. Anyone who really knew Tohsaka Rin knew that she was not by any means a morning person, taking every opportunity to sleep in. Today she was fully roused and clear of mind, and Toshimi could only think that she must have been awake for quite some time already. Still, she couldn't dispel the feeling that this happened every time her father came home from a long trip.

The meal went by with idle chatter, as well as dramatic tales of Shirou's heroics in Rome, the final stop on his latest adventure. He often visited the major cities across the world, taking contracts or sniffing about for anything new each time he went through. This time he found what he was looking for. He skipped over the nature of the crazed magus that had been devouring energy from the infirm in hospitals that went unnoticed for months, resulting in dozens of deaths that must have been accidental, to be so small in number. Still, it was nothing short of evil and Shirou made sure that the man would pay for his crimes in London.

Once they finished eating, a quick glance and a nod were exchanged between Shirou and Rin, which did not go unnoticed by Toshimi. Her heart seemed to skip a beat. Here we go... Toshimi followed as her parents moved to the living room and sat down. A profound weight struck the young girl suddenly, as she realized that the conversation she was about to have would change her life completely.

"Toshimi."

Toshimi's whole body seemed to flinch as she looked up at her mother, who just smiled.

"This is going to be a lot to take in at once, so just let us know if you need a moment or don't understand something."

She nodded but couldn't manage much else. Shirou looked troubled, as if unsure of where to start.

"As I believe you know, a Reality Marble is something like the inner world of a magus that possesses one. It comes in as many different forms as there are normal spells, to put it simply. Time Manipulation, Memory Erosion, and of course my own Unlimited Blade Works. Hell, I've even been told that Alexander the Great as a 'Servant' possessed a Reality Marble containing his entire army! Each man with all the glory of a Heroic Spirit, bar the use of their Noble Phantasms!"

Toshimi's eyes widened to their limits, even if she didn't fully understand the scale of it all due to her ignorance of the Holy Grail War. So many things were possible? The Memory Erosion sounded the least ridiculous of them all, but so much could be done depending on the person. It's no wonder the Association would want them strictly managed.

"Now, it seems that you have inherited my Unlimited Blade Works at least to some degree since you are capable of my Gradation Air, but your mother and I have agreed that no matter how similar, something about your Reality Marble should be completely unique. It could also be possible that it's not fully developed, so discovering it this early might induce change as we move forward. Regardless, I will begin to train you with Unlimited Blade Works in mind. I want you to tell me anything and everything about your experiences in practice to see how it differs, and we can move from there."

Shirou glanced to Rin for a moment. "Of course, we will have to work around the schedule your mother has given you. I will also refrain from taking contracts that last longer than a week, at least until we get through the basics."

Toshimi managed to pull herself out of her funk and listen intently to her father talk. The only thing that kept her from jumping for joy knowing her father would be around a long while was the fact that her mother's jewel magecraft training schedule was already rigorous. Any free time Toshimi may have once had likely just got booked. Granted, she often spent that time studying anyway.

"That's great, father! I can't wait to start learning more about this."

"Well, I guess I'll tell you a little story. A small part of a much bigger adventure."

Toshimi's expression lit up with excitement, always eager to hear her father's stories.

Shirou smiled and closed his eyes for a moment and thought back to the first days of the Fifth Holy Grail War, when he first discovered his tracing ability, and later Unlimited Blade Works.

"In the very beginning, I was a first-generation spellcaster capable of nothing more than Reinforcement Magecraft, which I could almost never successfully perform. It wasn't until I met your mother that we began to realize the truth of the 'failures' in my training shed."

Toshimi couldn't help but look a little confused. "Not a workshop?"

Before Shirou could even reply Rin cut in with 'hmph'. "That thing will not be called a workshop in my presence."

The father-daughter combo shared a glance before struggling to hold back laughter. Shirou managed to speak even still. "So, there you have it. Your mother and her... associate helped me understand that I was doing something unheard of, near-magic even."

Shirou spared a glance to Rin as he remembered hearing her briefly weigh killing him over the contents of the shed. A reasonable reaction. In the hands of an unsupervised novice such power was a catastrophe waiting to happen. As the Administrator of Fuyuki she had a lot of things to consider, especially since they were technically adversaries in a war.

"Due to some complicated circumstances that I promise to tell you about one day, I started to have dreams of a sword. I spent hours looking at it, it feels like. And eventually, I traced that sword in my moment of clarity."

Toshimi looked like she was about to say something, but suddenly she turned contemplative and remained that way for almost a minute, which Shirou noticed and paused.

"Last night, I had a... powerful? … dream. I've never had any near as vivid. Could it be related to my Reality Marble?"

Shirou looked to Rin with a furrowed brow and then back to Toshimi. "I can't say for sure... Let's start with what happened in it."

Toshimi audibly gulped.

"Well, last night... I dreamt that I was overlooking a volcano, during a major eruption. It was Mount Etna, in Sicily. I was really high up so I could see the whole boot of Italy and more, only there was no sign of civilization. I didn't exactly look around though, I was so transfixed on Etna. But then after watching for a little, I was suddenly flying into the heart of the volcano. It didn't hurt or anything, it was actually... kind of comfortable, welcoming even. I think that's where it ended, but it felt like I was in there for a long time. Also, right before the end... I caught a glimpse of some kind of pillar."

Rin started fidgeting and gave a sharp glance to her husband. Shirou's spine shivered in all the wrong ways and he took a shaky breath, poorly disguised even to Toshimi's ears. She didn't dare ask what the issue was, she knew the look on her mother's face all too well.

"I don't think you need to worry. Dreams can always just be dreams. For now, just do your usual thing. I believe it's about time to hit the workshop?"

Toshimi lightly gasped. Her father was as poor a liar as she was, and he did it so brazenly. She grumbled a bit but nodded. "Okay. I'll see you for lunch...?"

Shirou smiled softly and nodded. "Yeah. I'll come let you know when it's ready."

Toshimi smiled as well and hurried off to her workshop.

Just when she was out of earshot, Rin swore and slammed her fist into the living room table with a bang. "I knew trouble was brewing right around the corner!"

Shirou raised his palms outward in a gesture to calm her down. "It'll be okay. However we interpret that dream, no harm should befall Toshimi."

Rin just sighed and shook her head. "That may not be true. The biggest problem is how specific the dream was. Why Mount Etna? Why not just any old volcano, why make the location so central to the dream...?"

Shirou scratched his head for a few seconds in consideration. "Well... Etna is associated with Vulcan and Hephaestus, two famous Gods of the forge. Maybe it was just a dream, her own way of processing our Reality Marbles."

Rin grumbled for a moment. "I suppose it's possible. I want this to just be a dream. No, I think I need it to be. If it wasn't... The only other conclusions I can draw... They worry me. Etna is much too close to the Age of the Gods. If something there was found or awoken, things could get bad really fast. For everyone."

Shirou crossed his arms and looked down in thought. "Things found...? You think someone could find a path to the Root there?"

Rin's fierce glare from earlier resurfaced. "Maybe, nothing is certain. Although, someone stumbling upon a new Magic would be the least troubling result on further thought... But, of course, nobody has found anything there yet."

With his head cocked to the side, Shirou tried to understand the meaning of her words. "What could possibly be worse than that?"

Rin seemed to be unsure of something, not speaking for quite some time. She settled with just asking Shirou a seemingly simple question. "Shirou, do you remember what I taught you about the decline of Magic?"

He nodded.

"Then, you'll know that Mystery and the Phantasmal Species just exist in a dimension completely cut off from ours, a parallel Earth of sorts where men and science likely don't exist as we know them, just as Magic as they know it does not exist here unless we literally open a path to the Root and take it. What separates our dimensions so completely?"

Rin explained it almost word for word as she had over a decade ago, not that Shirou had forgotten. "There are 'anchors' that somehow force our worlds apart. The only one we know of is in Britain, we think, and the only clue we have is the Garden of Avalon, which only Morgan knew how to reach. The true location was lost or hidden away. Do you think...?

Rin merely shrugged, seeming to deflate as she didn't want to think about it anymore. "It's possible, but at this point literally anything is. We can't find an answer, so we'll just have to find out the hard way- waiting for the answer to find us."

Silence followed as her words sunk in.

"Nothing we can do, huh... So I guess we'll stick with the original plan. Whatever lies ahead for us and Toshimi, I will make sure she is prepared to handle it."

Rin let a faint smile break through her troubled expression.

"We both will."

After a few minutes of silently analyzing the situation one last time, Shirou sighed and stood up, checking his smart-watch for the time.

"I suppose we've talked long enough. Toshimi will be expecting lunch in due time, and I still need to visit Lord El Melloi II."

Rin's eyes flickered up to Shirou at the name of one of their closest allies in the Mages Association, wondering why he needed to see him.

"Velvet-kun? What on earth do you need to speak with him about?"

Shirou seemed oddly uncomfortable and turned to Rin with a slight frown.

"I'm not quite sure myself... Call it a bad feeling, but something I noticed on that last mission worries me. I'm hoping Waver will know more."

Rin raised a finger to her chin in thought, but didn't press the issue.

"I see... Let me know how it goes. If he can't help you, maybe I can take some time tonight after transferring more of the crest to Toshimi to hear you out."

Shirou couldn't help but smirk, stifling a laugh as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"I think we both know you have other intentions for me at that time of night. You certainly didn't seem satisfied this morning."

Rin blushed furiously and shouted at Shirou in embarrassment.

"Shut up, you idiot! Don't say that where Toshimi might hear!"

Shirou chuckled and waved to Rin as he turned, and Rin just knew he was smirking as his hand kept waving a second too long.

"See ya, Rin. I'll be back before noon if all goes well."

Rin grumbled as her cheeks remained flushed, but she couldn't resist trying to get some revenge against her lover.

"You better... Or we really will be working tonight!"

#

Half an hour later, Shirou stood in Lord El Melloi II's office, where the man in question sat back in his chair in relaxation.

"Emiya, welcome back from Rome. Good work rooting out Edric Weisrett. That's one less Dead Apostle to deal with. However, it is rare to see you in person. What is so dire that you must handle it directly, superhero-kun?"

Shirou smiled faintly and resisted the urge to chuckle. After giving thanks to the idle praise, he paused before answering Waver's question.

"Thank you... Actually, while surveying the region in search of Edric, I noticed some unusual activity. At first, I suspected he was involved, but he denied those suspicions completely, and his alibi seems to add up. "

Lord El Melloi II's expression seemed to tighten as he spoke.

"... Unusual how?"

Shirou's expression shifted similarly as he mulled over his thoughts.

"The average number of missing persons in Rome has gone up since last year."

"Hmm. That is not exactly unusual... what has you spooked?"

Shirou sighed. He knew his evidence was lacking, but his gut was never wrong. Something was definitely amiss in Rome, and it wasn't the only place Shirou noticed such an increase.

"You're right, the crime rates for such things are hardly consistent. However... China, Venezuela, Mexico, Columbia, Iran... All of these countries have experienced a similar increase in missing person cases for a prolonged period of time, and then suddenly dropped back down sharply after a year or two. I almost failed to see a connection, but if you scrutinize the timeline based on what information I gathered, I believe you will notice as well."

Finally, Shirou had gotten the full attention of Lord El Melloi II. His relaxed posture dropped, and he sat forward with his elbows on his desk and hands clasped together in front of his chin.

"I see, if this is true, then you were right to notify me. For the sake of time, tell me what you have inferred."

Shirou nodded silently.

"Each increase in missing persons is followed by an equal decline. Furthermore, none of these increases happened at the same time. In fact, they were all closely followed by the other. The trend began in Mexico, but already high crime rates make it difficult to pinpoint exactly when it began. However, it ended in 2025. After that was China until 2026, Columbia until 2029, Venezuela until 2032, and Iran until the beginning of this year, 2034. I believe whatever or whoever is behind these abductions is traveling often, and not in any predictable manner. I also doubt that Rome is the last stop on their agenda."

"This is troubling indeed, Emiya. Seeing as you were the one to notice this issue, I would like you to oversee the investigation."

Lord El Melloi II expected Shirou to jump at the chance, but it seemed to cause the opposite reaction. Shirou frowned and furrowed his brow in thought, before sighing.

"There is just one problem. I traveled throughout China and Iran during these periods of activity, and it was the same year I visited these countries that cases declined. It may just be a coincidence, but if they left in response to my arrival, the situation could become even more complicated."

Waver took a breath and silently deliberated for almost a minute, processing the information and trying to work out the best resolution.

"Maybe we can use that to our advantage. If it is not a coincidence, then the culprit has likely fled from Rome already. So far, these locations all have high crime rates to begin with, and if that is part of the decision-making process to choose targets, we should be looking at regions with a lot of violent crime, especially missing person cases. They will not be easy to track down, so this job will require you to be away from home for a while. Emiya Shirou, I think you hold the key to solving these cases. If they truly take note of your presence in such a manner, we need you on this."

Shirou closed his eyes and thought of Rin and Toshimi. He wanted to be with them, and Toshimi needed him now more than ever. And yet, his ideal would now allow these injustices to continue while he knew he could help put an end to them. He opened his eyes and looked straight at Lord El Melloi II.

"Very well. I'll begin working on this as soon as I can. I must see to certain responsibilities regarding my daughter, and then I will start the search."

Waver smiled, though he did feel uncomfortable asking his friend to leave his family behind for such long periods of time.

"I thank you on behalf of the Mages Association. I'll have a team prepared to aid you by the end of the week, or would you like more time with your family beforehand?"

Shirou shook his head, and at first, Waver was unsure which part of his words were being refused.

"I will conduct this investigation alone, at least for the time being. However, a week should suffice. At most, a few extra days will be all I need."

Lord El Melloi II nodded his head in acknowledgment.

"If that is your wish, then so be it. Be careful, Emiya."

"I will be."

Shirou bowed respectfully to Waver before turning and exiting his office, leaving the aging magus to his thoughts. However, Lord El Melloi II could not take his mind off of the abductions, even after hours had passed since his meeting with Emiya.

"Damnit, Emiya. I have a really bad feeling about all this..."

#

Rin stood with a watchful eye on the front door to the Tohsaka Mansion, her eyes flickering from the clock and back to the door, growing ever impatient as the clock changed from 12:29 to 12:30. Shirou was late. Rin glared at the door.

"Something happened... Waver, I swear if you are sending him away again already...!"

Interrupting her, the door finally opened and in walked Shirou, appearing quite exhausted. Rin immediately knew she would be paying Lord El Melloi II a visit he would not enjoy.

"Sorry I'm late, Rin. It seems my bad feeling requires some official investigation."

Rin's displeasure was evident on her face if her sharp words weren't an indication.

"What happened?

"International abductions are on the rise, and what little information we have suggests it is the actions of one person or at least a group that travels together."

Suddenly Rin's frustration subsided at the news, even she was not so cold as to disregard the seriousness of the situation.

"... When do you leave?"

Shirou sighed and scratched the back of his head.

"One week. Maybe a few days more if Toshimi still needs help with the basics of her Reality Marble."

"Shirou..."

Rin sighed and sat on the couch, deflating as she slumped against the cushions.

"I know, Rin. I'm sorry."

She simply shook her head.

"It's fine. People need your help. How can I get angry when you want nothing but the best for everyone? I suppose I'll postpone my lessons with Toshimi, so that you can get her on a solid foundation before you head out."

Shirou nodded slowly.

"Even still, I wish I could stay... But that would be appreciated. I'm not sure I'll be returning for quite some time, though. The culprit has spent a decade or more doing what they're doing, so this could take years to figure out in the worst case."

Rin's heart dropped as Shirou elaborated on the case, but she shook it off as best she could.

"Have fun explaining that to Toshimi."

"I don't expect she'll be thrilled... She was so excited to have me back. But I'm sure she'll understand..."

Rin nodded silently, hoping Shirou was right. Despite Rin's best efforts, Toshimi was always happiest around her father.

Shirou sighed again, before his thoughts of Toshimi reminded him of the time.

"Ah, crap. I better get started on lunch if I want to make something special for her."

This brought a smile back to Rin's face, as she waved him off with some words of encouragement.

"Go on, then. Not that anything you make wouldn't be special enough for her."

Shirou smiled as well, but shrugged as his serious cooking expression surfaced on his face.

"I can't settle for 'special enough', not today. Go ahead and let her know that lunch will be ready in about an hour."

Rin gave Shirou a quick peck on the lips before strutting off to Toshimi's room while sparing a backward glance at Shirou, who shook his head with a chuckle. He made sure to get a good view of Rin walking away before turning the other way and entering the kitchen. A slightly perverted smile graced Shirou's lips as he got to work on Toshimi's birthday lunch, consisting of his special spicy apple curry, along with some red miso soup and tofu fried rice.

"Looks like we won't be 'working' tonight after all..."

* * *

And thus begins the story of Tohsaka Toshimi, the first steps on her long journey into legend. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and be sure to leave a review if you did. I'm still fairly new to writing fics, so every word helps!


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